Tiwarie’s titularity; Government’s titubation

Mar 30, 2016 Features / Columnists, Freddie Kissoon

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In the dying hours of last January, the government appointed Brian Tiwarie as its business advisor. One must assume that it is a titular thing. It cannot be an essential function, for the basic reason that Mr. Tiwarie has not established himself as an innovative entrepreneur. Mr. Tiwarie has no formal business education and is not a multi-layered capitalist. His main business is civil engineering. In very small, poor countries like Guyana, engineering firms rely mostly on contracts.
If any fact is an established one in Guyana, it is the knowledge that Tiwarie grew bigger and larger in size with governmental contracts. So monopolistic was the relationship with Tiwarie’s firm and the Jagdeo regime that it became the talk of the town and the source of opposition anger when the AFC and APNU were in the opposition. What academic and versatile knowledge in business does Tiwarie possess that could enable him to advise the APNU-AFC regime?
Immediately Yesu Persaud and Banks DIH spring to mind. They are multi-dimensional investors. Yesu Persaud is phenomenal. Look at his lines – mainstream commercial banking (Demerara Bank), small lending facility (IPED), commercial importation and supermarkets (Distributors Service Ltd), rum and soft drink production, fruit juice manufacturing etc.
It is difficult to see how persistent Government contracts to build roads, bridges etc could have qualified Mr. Tiwarie to be a business advisor to the Government. It is interesting to note that in the outlay of his monopolistic contracts, there has been severe criticism of some of his engineering executions, even by the PPP Government, in particular a wharf and a dumpsite.
With each passing day, the leadership of APNU and AFC are ignoring the lessons of history. It is unbelievable that in the space of ten months, a new government can make such banal mistakes that experience would lead you to avoid. Mr. Tiwarie built up a reputation as a favoured contractor. My own thinking on the expansion of his firm is that it was done through the patronage of the state.
He became rich and famous (one can argue infamous) not through the route the Beharrys used, not through the initiatives of people like Yesu Persaud, but through the generosity of Bharrat Jagdeo.
I have had a plethora of complaints about horrible exploitations in Tiwarie’s firm. Three years ago, a group of workers journeyed to the National Park to interrupt me from my jogging to show me employment contracts, the contents of which may be in violation of the laws of Guyana. There and then I called Tiwarie for a response, but his explanation was far from satisfactory. I turned our conversation into a column.
I distinctly remembered in that discussion, Tiwarie told me he was strongly thinking of closing down. I believe Tiwarie’s large outfit is a violator of trade union rights
It is obvious that the APNU-AFC outfit is riding high on its 2015 victory. From all indications, the sweet taste of power has it so intoxicated that the resulting titubation is causing it to make unpopular decisions.  Just a year ago, when in opposition, the monopoly of BK International was stirring the wrath of both APNU and the AFC. By some weird psychic contortion, this leadership finds Tiwarie so endowed with knowledge that he landed an advisory role with the government. The absurdity is too obvious, that one must assume that the appointment has more titularity than substance. It has to be. If not, then not only are the windows of power becoming opaque, but laughable, by its unsightly shape
The world’s combined geniuses cannot fathom the minds of power-holders. Power is so inscrutable an element in life that it defies study. Why of all the talent available to it from intellectually gifted Guyanese around the world, would the Coalition want to make BK Tiwarie an advisor on business? To advise on what? How to build a road? How to use and repair a bobcat?  How to buy a quarry and make it profitable through governmental contracts?
Interestingly, Tiwarie’s huge five-storeyed structure at Vlissengen Road and Sandy Babb Street in Kitty was left in disuse for almost a year now. Suddenly since his appointment, construction has restarted. I wonder why. It would be interesting to know if the appointment came from the AFC quarters or from within the ranks of APNU. I know as night follows day that AFC Ministers have been telling their second and third tier leaders that they cannot employ them if they do not have qualifications. I have heard that from literally dozens of AFC members. What qualifications does Tiwarie have?
So who made the decision – APNU or AFC? Just asking.
And by press time the Ministry of the Presidency announced that it had rescinded the appointment of Brian Tiwarie.

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